iPhone's 3G antenna put to the test in a $110,000 metal box

0

When murmurs of the new iPhone’s purported subpar 3G performance made its way around to Sweden, a company called Bluetest decided to try and determine once and for all if we all just had a case of the crazies.

They stuck an iPhone 3G into a $110,000 noise-free chamber along with a simulated base station, and tested communications in both directions. Then they did the same tests with a Sony Ericsson P1 and a Nokia N73. Turns out, they all performed about the same. Great news, right?

Unfortunately, the test doesn’t really prove anything. It appears that they only tested one of each handset, which wouldn’t expose flaws between batches. More importantly, it seems they only tested it against 3G, which completely ignores the EDGE/3G hand-off that many people believe to be the problem.

Oh well. At least we know the iPhone works great in a noise-proof box.